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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bank — of a river
  4. press — a publisher
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. current — of water
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. current — electric
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — the fish
  17. press — to push
  18. current — happening now
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bank — for money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. press — newspapers
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com